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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
My brothers and I are starting a new project. We purchased an 828 acre property with 300 acres of water and are turning that place into the Midwests' Premier Fishing, Hunting, Camping, and Family Recreation area.... The existing campground is 240 seasonal lakefront campsites with electric, water, septic... Then we are adding 160 cabin lakefront sites also leased by the year.. the cabins will be apprx 14x24 on skids... Here is a photo of the future cabins area.. All of that development is taking place on the top 300 acres of land and the bottom 528 acres will be trails and fishing during the summer then hunter education/training, youth pheasant and youth waterfowl in the winter... Fish Mgmt stuff will be cutting edge with many specialty research ponds with fish like alligator gar, bowfin, brown trout, redbreasted sunfish, paddlefish, sturgeon, etc etc... I have 40 smaller lakes and ponds for this type of thing. Dont worry there will be plenty of bluegill, bass, rainbows, perch, smallmouth, stripers, catfish, crappie, etc etc etc too... The big lake is 121 acres with 70' depths, crystal clear water and lake weeds down to 36' deep on the bottom... So anyhow, this is a dream come true, but a huge undertaking. I know we can pull it off and personally invite any and all of yall to come and help at anytime...there will be neverending fishwork to be done here... The place is called the giant goose ranch and has 15 existing deluxe waterfowl pits... what is also crazy is it is only 7 miles from our existing property near Canton, IL... I hope to have a website up and running for it by the end of this year.
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 697
Hall of Fame Lunker
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Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 697 |
Can you adopt me? Unbelievable Nate good luck!!!!!
"I think I have a nibble" Homer Simpson 34ac natural lake
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 156 Likes: 2
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 156 Likes: 2 |
Nate,
Congratulations. That is huge!!!! Will you be building all 160 lake front cabins or does the customer by the lot and build their own? If you lease a cabin for a year, can you fish or hunt all you want on all the water or do you manage the reservations/pressure?
It takes great guts to do something like this. With great risk often comes great rewards. I have a ton of confidence that you will be greatly rewarded. Guys like you that have built other successful business's will make this a real showplace.
Steve Alexander
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,930 Likes: 2
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,930 Likes: 2 |
That's a dream come true!
Was that a strip mine property of some sort?
Goofing off is a slang term for engaging in recreation or an idle pastime while obligations of work or society are neglected........... Wikipedia
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23 |
Awesome Nate and family...AWESOME!!!
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 941
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 941 |
I am young at heart and have a Browning Maxus that hasn't shot enough geese yet this year.
Congrats Nate would love to take a tour of the place sometime.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,776 Likes: 303
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,776 Likes: 303 |
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
Steve, We will be building all the cabins and keeping control of pretty much everything... Fishing is included, but hunting is not.
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 294
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 294 |
Wow,what a amazing piece of ground you have there.Congratulations and best of luck to you.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,980 Likes: 15
Ambassador Lunker
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Ambassador Lunker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,980 Likes: 15 |
This is simply unbelievable! Good luck guys, wish I lived closer! I love the cabin idea...we're toying with adding a couple more here, since we really liked the 14' x 20' that my parents had brought in this week.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2 |
If anyone can make it work, it's your family. I can't wait to see what kind of awesome things come of your purchase and hard work... I am sure you will keep us posted on the progress on here.
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,435
Ambassador Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Ambassador Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,435 |
You guys know how to live large. Congrats...
Just do it...
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,692
Hall of Fame 2015 Lunker
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Hall of Fame 2015 Lunker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,692 |
Pretty cool Nate!
I was down toward that direction early last week and was surprised by how many really large ponds there were.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,692
Hall of Fame 2015 Lunker
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Hall of Fame 2015 Lunker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,692 |
That's a pretty cool cabin spark! There is an Amish place up here that you can get really nice cabins at a reasonable price. They'll deliver and set them in place for free. You have to prep the area tho. Stupid zoning won't let me put one in unless I have a house on the property. That rule needs to be fixed!
Last edited by JKB; 11/17/13 09:49 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 670
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 670 |
Absolutely COOL! The only problem I can see is that it must be hard to put in a days work with all that water wanting to be fished. Best of luck. CMM
CMM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,516 Likes: 272
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,516 Likes: 272 |
Congrats and a beautiful place. The planning process will be huge and think deeply about all aspects. Going to be a great journey for all of us.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4 |
Whoa, amazing! When you're up and running I will pitch this for our next family reunion. There are a lot of us...
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
Bobby, those were all strip mined lakes... 4 lakes on the property are over 55' deep!!
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
Spark, its amazing what you can do with a 14x20!!! Definitely everything we have ever experienced as a family comes into play on this project... It is hard to stay focused with so many distractions...
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
Bocomo, the first few years the focus is on the seasonal campsites and seasonal cabin leases... Then longterm we have plans for a lodge on the big lake that will sleep 120 and 25 big cabins....that's when your family reunion will be there!! Same with the pond boss conference, etc...
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 224
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 224 |
That is Awesome...how do you have the time? Any idea on a VIP type lake , maybe pay extra but limit the fishing pressure and manage extensive. Wish I lived closer but would plan a visit if there's anything like your home lake or otter creek. Best of luck, look forward to checking out the website in the next few months.
I Subscribe! 3/4 Acre Pond: HSB,SMB,YP,HBG,RES
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,980 Likes: 15
Ambassador Lunker
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Ambassador Lunker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,980 Likes: 15 |
Nate, are you thinking long term rentals(annual), weekend campers, or both as far as the campground goes? In the early days our old campground was weekenders, but ended up strictly site lease on an annual basis.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
As of right now the plan is all annual leases for cabins and campsites... We would only do weekenders if we have to for awhile...
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,980 Likes: 15
Ambassador Lunker
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Ambassador Lunker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,980 Likes: 15 |
As of right now the plan is all annual leases for cabins and campsites... We would only do weekenders if we have to for awhile... My experiences tell me that's a wise decision!
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,505 |
Beast man, I have given much thought to the fisheries and the specialty/research ponds that we kill out and start over from scratch will not be available for open or unguided fishing... All of the big lakes will have specific mgmt plans that will utilize the anglers as mgmt tools... For example for the 25 acre ski lake the goal is to remove every largemouth bass for 2014, but to release all other fish in the lake... Then 2015 I will stock hybrid striped bass and keep the war against the LMB ongoing but open up harvest on panfish again...
The lakes will all receive heavy fishing pressure but I plan on still having them be world class fishing with lots of harvest opportunities... Basically the mgmt focus is to get the most out of all the lakes as humanly possible and creating evolving mgmt plans to utilize the angling pressure as an assett...
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